Saving the Parrots

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mountainannie

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This from today's DR1 news..

Hispaniolan parrots (Amazona ventralis) and parakeets (Aratinga chloroptera) are now listed as vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Local environmentalists say the species could disappear if the illegal sales continue, especially in La Penda on the Duarte Highway in violation of Law 64-00. National Zoo director Patricia Toribio Paulino has re-launched the Project for the rehabilitation of psitacids on Hispaniola. She said that the way the chicks are trapped, by toppling trees to reach the nests, is doubly damaging to nature. A project is under way to rescue the chicks from illicit sale and to rehabilitate them so that they are able to fend for themselves and feed in the wild. Capture and sale of these birds is banned by Law 64-00, but the authorities have not taken action to close down the La Penda bird selling area, in flagrant violation and in full public view. She said that eight of every ten chicks that are captured die before they are sold.

The project is funded by a Ford Foundation grant that recognizes initiatives for the conservation of species as well as by the Program for the Recovery of the Puerto Rican Parrot (Miguel Garcia and Thomas White), the Center for the Rescue Arcas Guatemala (Fernando Garcia), The Toledo Zoo (Peter Tolson), National Aviary (Steven Latta and Steven Sarro), and the World Parrot Trust (James Giraldi).

Amazona ventralis (Hispaniolan Amazon, Hispaniolan Parrot)

NOW...I feed the birds on my balcony.. mostly palm chats come sometimes a Quatros Ojos and some sparrows.. and doves.. but there are parrots in the nearby trees, I think that they might come over if I put out sunflower seeds were it not for a caged parrot in a nearby apartment who is obviously screeching out "DO NOT come near them.. CLEAR and PRESENT Danger"

but I had thought about buying some parakeets and/or parrots in cages and just letting them live out there in open cages in the hopes that they would learn to live on their own. The trees are very close ..

But.. I think that as soon as the parrots are captured, their wings are clipped, is this not so?

There were two parrots down at the Dona Chava hotel in Pedernales, and I really loved being with them. then one of them died.. And I think that parrots are like swans and mate for life.. anyway, the widow .. or widower,, I did not know. (we did not get into that). was very sad and I used to spend a lot of time singing to him ... (au clair de la luna, mon ami Pierrot was about the only sorta parroty thing that I knew and he did not seem to mind my repeating it over and over..)...

I did raise Love Birds once, .. and they are a cross between the parrot and the parakeet.. And I do love birds.

any thoughts?

I know ... even buying them once encourages the trade.. that is one thing.. But if there were a chance, perhaps that they could be released?

Does anyone know more about this project? Who to contact?

So often these projects are just

an announcement
 
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jrhartley

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there is a flock of the green ones in sosua escapees from my neighbour......I thought it was actually illegal to cage the native parrots in theory
 
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tr77

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Hmm I don't know of anything around the area but what you need is a sanctuary for them. If you want to go about doing it yourself you could try and get a permit to build a housing unit ( not a cage, much larger) for these birds in order to keep them out of harms way. It may take a few weeks or months to get approved but the pay off will be well worth it. Hope this helps.
 
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jorgesarduysousa

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if they "really" want to save them, all they have to do [police] is pick up the guys who sell them close to the entrance of MOCA, by the main highway,
 
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La Rubia

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mountainannie said:
I do not want to cage them.,. i want to take the ones that are in cages and release them... just so we are clear..
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you're not going to do a guerilla move and open the sellers' cages:)

Depends on where you get them from. If you get them from a seller, he'll go get some more. Perhaps someone has a rescue group for those that are injured/found to be reahabilitated. (Which I guess is your question.) If you get one from someone who already has one and is on board with not replacing it, it may be a good thing.

Unfortunately, I now realize I know people with these. I suspected they were endangered, now you've confirmed it. I found an educational flyer with a quick search Grupo Jaragua - Deja eso (site is also in English). I'm going to pass it along to them and share it on facebook. Maybe it'll discourage them from replacing them once they're gone.

Education is always key.
 
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mountainannie

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La Rubia said:
I'm assuming you're not going to do a guerilla move and open the sellers' cages:)

Depends on where you get them from. If you get them from a seller, he'll go get some more. Perhaps someone has a rescue group for those that are injured/found to be reahabilitated. (Which I guess is your question.) If you get one from someone who already has one and is on board with not replacing it, it may be a good thing.

Unfortunately, I now realize I know people with these. I suspected they were endangered, now you've confirmed it. I found an educational flyer with a quick search Grupo Jaragua - Deja eso (site is also in English). I'm going to pass it along to them and share it on facebook. Maybe it'll discourage them from replacing them once they're gone.

Education is always key.
Click to expand...

thanks for the link, La Rubia!! No.. I was not thinking of a parrot liberation movement.. except to perhaps foster little ones on my balcony to help them perhaps return to freedom.. if they are captives and have not been taught to survive in the wild they would not ... I know that in Costa Rica the parrots are a HUGE tourist attraction in many places since they are so beautiful and I do hope that they come back.. But perhaps... and now.. you have given me an idea.. perhaps I can get with this group and we can start going up to where they are being sold and pass out some flyers,.,,,, (ah.. days of my radical youth!!)
 
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minerva_feliz

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Ya dejaron "Deja Eso"?!

I think the "Deja Eso" campaign has been going for a few years now. It seems very organized (judging from info on the website) in terms of the educational tools, but what about the lobbying and advocacy? Media campaign? Trendy swag?

What has been achieved as a result of this campaign? (Can't be that much if the place most known for illegals sales is up and running). There are a lot of well-known backers,with lots of $$$, including gov't ministries, but it seems their interest is to have their logo present with the campaign to improve their image and YA.

How have they involved civil society organizations? That's when politicians start to pay attention and a few bits of knowledge stick here and there.

Maybe with this vulnerability classification there will be more interest, and after the people get their 4% PIB for education they will take up saving the parrots. :cheeky:

Also, there is a facebook page (cause) about this, not nearly as popular as 4% or the cementera:

Deja Eso! - No mas al Comercio de Cotorras en Republica Dominicana | causes.com

Mountainannie, let me know if a group is going to hand out flyers/protest, I'll trade my 4% yellow for parrot green for a day!
 
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mountainannie

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JD// when you say "little guys" do you mean parrots or parakeets?

I understand your dilemma.. I guess the thing to do would be go actually get someone from the Minesterio and the policiia and a group of us who would be willing to foster the young ones and go up there and have the police confiscate the young birds so that there was not a profit

Minerva.. thanks for the fB link.. I am joining!
 
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victorvt.2011

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Its so bad that",people capture and sale the chicks and other birds,but with doing this the
birds can die with the frustration and without water, because they they get very bad condition
with the trapping and sale
 
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wrecksum

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Sep 27, 2010
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I am also a birder and i appreciate what you are trying to do.
The problem tends , as usual, to be more complex than first meets the eye.
We all have our favourites and would give our grandchildren to defend them but there is always a balance question.
Nature has a perfectly evolved system to maintain a certain equilibrium although this is not always evident to us and we see abuses which offend us but which are not necessarily damaging to the overall balance.
Why save Lions and not , for example. Dung Beetles?
The swallow-tailed butterfly is beautiful and impressive to us humans but can we not save the Yellow Marsh Fritillary as well even though it is not big,beautiful or prominent? Who saves Mosquitoes?
Once the human animal decides that it is capable to decide the fate of another species, often to the deficit of another, then this is an arrogance of which we are not worthy.
Feed, nourish, watch,befriend , teach ,marvel at and enjoy your feathered friends to your hearts content. Never keep them in cages. If they return, then good, if they don't, then better.
If they get recaptured, buy them again and release them again.
I bought many parrots in Africa, and released many parrots as well but once the wings are clipped, they become your responsibility and are great companions who love human company.
Most 'Funded' projects tend to become money generating machines incapable of recognizing the reason behind their creation so please do not send them money, this is a fallacy.
I have Grackles that come every day when I feed the dogs. They are brave , clever and noisy, but I would not like to live without them now and never could imagine them in a cage.
 
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mountainannie

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JDJones said:
I was referring to Parrots, there's too many parakeets now as it is!

At least the parrots I buy and release, end up someplace where I doubt they'll be recaptured. I'd like to think they join the hugh group of parrots that fly around my house every day.
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ok.. so you have been able to buy parrots that HAVE NOT had their wings clipped? this is what I was thinking.. I know that it might encourage the buying and all that.. keep the trade alive.... etc... a delimma.. but there are parrots around my house as well and I just wonder.

How can you tell if the parrot has NOT had its wings clipped?
 
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Acira

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Wing clipping can cause permanent flying disorder. If a young birds wings are clipped over and over again, he/she can not develop their flying skills. Its not always the case but can be.
 
Drake

Drake

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The problem with the Dominican parrot (Amazona ventralis)is that it only ever mates with only one partner in their life and never in a caged environment. So if you put one in a cage you are condemning it to extinction.

Someone gave me a parrot once with a broken wing which I gave to the Santo Domingo Zoo. These are lovely animals that should be preserved at all costs. Everyone should post on notice boards the Deja Eso! Message

http://www.grupojaragua.org.do/images/images_dejaeso/deja_eso_dibujo_solo.JPG
 
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Acira

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Drake said:
The problem with the Dominican parrot (Amazona ventralis)is that it only ever mates with only one partner in their life and never in a caged environment. So if you put one in a cage you are condemning it to extinction.

Someone gave me a parrot once with a broken wing which I gave to the Santo Domingo Zoo. These are lovely animals that should be preserved at all costs. Everyone should post on notice boards the Deja Eso! Message

http://www.grupojaragua.org.do/images/images_dejaeso/deja_eso_dibujo_solo.JPG
Click to expand...

Thats not the problem of the Dominican parrot alone, that goes for all parrots. I have seen a grey parrot in captivity from a relative, was the "partner" of the man, man dies, bird was grieving, plucking his feathers, depressed, yelling, couldn't be touched by the woman either. After a few months of agony for the bird and the woman who was devastated by the actual grieve of the bird and not been able to do anything to relieve that grieve, she decided together with the vet that it was better to let the bird to go asleep. Sad ending story and thats why, although many times tempted, I never ever stop to even have a look when they are waving with the cages along the highway near Moca. Second reason I don't stop is that IMO you keep this kind of traffic going by buying the animals, despite its for a good cause, I know.
 
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PeterInBrat

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Dominican Parrots are adorable. I saw this little guy at a beach bar in Sosua and the bartender was giving him little pieces of fruit to munch on. I asked her if it was her pet and she said, "No, es mi amigo solo."

6300_1210034528511_1158169932_30650535_5071573_n.jpg
 
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PeterInBrat

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Wing clipping is temporary and often done only one side (that way they can only fly in circles if they can make it off the ground). Parrots and their kin are a minor invasive species in many world cities but little effort has been made to purge them. A wonderful little film on pet parrots gone wild is The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.
 
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Acira

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PeterInBrat said:
Dominican Parrots are adorable. I saw this little guy at a beach bar in Sosua and the bartender was giving him little pieces of fruit to munch on. I asked her if it was her pet and she said, "No, es mi amigo solo."

6300_1210034528511_1158169932_30650535_5071573_n.jpg
Click to expand...

Have you asked the woman how old this bird was because he or she's wings are clipped.
 
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